Fact Or Fiction: The Flu Shot Can Cause The Flu

FICTION, mostly (with one exception):

I have patients who swear by this one. The flu shot, the actual injectable flu vaccine, is in fact an inactivated/killed vaccine. There is no way to get the flu from the flu shot. There are simply no infectious particles in the vaccine. There is, however, a flu “shot” that comes as a nasal mist form. This particular formula is a live vaccine. Consequently, it is possible to get flu-like symptoms with the nasal mist flu shot variety.

Note: Children who have asthma or are 6 months to 2 years of age are only eligible for the inactivated flu shot (the good old fashioned injected version).